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4 Germy Things Almost As Gross As Chewing Someone Else's Gum

When Simon Baker popped already-chewed gum from underneath the table on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, we shuddered. And rightly so! I can relate—I once licked a deposit envelope at the bank that someone there before me had already licked! Urgh. The pinnacle of gross, right? Nope. Here are a few other truly gag-worthy germ paradises.

Restaurant menus. They don't exactly get washed all that often—if at all. A study found that cold and flu viruses live on hard surfaces for 18 hours. The lesson? Don't lick your menu. Kidding! Seriously, though, order and then go wash your hands.

Public magazines. Sarah mentioned this one before, but I think it totally bears repeating. Think about the mags in your doctor's waiting room... you know, those ones from 2005. They've been handled a lot, often by sick people. The same goes for magazines at the library. That thing about viruses on menus? That applies here, too.

Video games. Old-school arcade games can have more germs than a food tray, a store floor, or a bathroom door at a restaurant. And your home controllers harbor germs, too. They're like a computer's mouse: constantly handled, rarely cleaned. (Speaking of which, give your mouse a good wipe down!)

Makeup counters. Even when the samples and applicators are cleaned with alcohol, viruses and bacteria linger. So you just might get a sample of something you really don't want when you swipe on that lipstick.